I have been to Sandown on the Isle of Wight three times in my life before last week. The first occasion was in the later 1940’s when the family took its first holiday at a caravan on a farm close to Bembridge Village and a walk from the Bembridge Rocky Ledge. We would take a bus to arrive midday for a picnic lunch when the weather was fine. We went again the next year or a year soon after because we had not been able to connect with coach trips available from Sandown or attend one of the evening activities on Saturdays. We had the stayed at the kind of guest house where you are expected to leave after breakfast and not return until the evening in time for the one course option meal. Those were the days.
I managed to visit briefly last year on a day trip from Portsmouth, taking the bus from Ryde and after a brief walk through the town and along the sea front, I walked the pier where I had a half of beer before catching the bus to Shanklin and walking down to the front along to the lift and where I had had to wait for half to three quarters an hour for the bus.
I had planned a longer explore on Thursday of last week, June 18th, 2009, but it was just before midday before I arrived travelled in the car the length of the one way shopping street before turning back along the front and found a car parking space almost at the other end. I had time before the arranged meeting to visit the Tourist office where I bought two books of photos and a map book. I had noted an attractive looking hotel and bar with two veranda levels but decided that the food was expensive and as there was no food being eaten to judge its quality, feared a meal similar to that at the Fishbourne Inn. There was a chips with everything eggs, ham fish restaurant attached to another hotel which was reasonably price but nothing appealed.
Instead, returning to the shopping street there was the good fortune to find a traditional English lunch and tea room where staff were attentive and the owner host supervised an checked that everyone was content. I fancied a chicken pie with mash and vegetables served with gravy in a soup type plate followed by a cup of tea, served with two cup tea pots and a jug of hot water. Three plus cups were available for the price less than is paid for one on the motorways and many other establishments. Unfortunately I did not note the name.
It was then time for a walk for a good walk although I did not pay sufficient attention to appreciate what was being suggested. There are a choice of two walks, along the cliff or along the extended promenade and the lower flat route was selected. What I did not grasp is that this route continues through to Shanklin, a distance of approximately two miles. For the major part of this walk there are just a varying collection of Beach huts below the cliff with some opened to view revealing electricity for a cup and picnic cooking but also a fridge and a freezer in one instance. Those at Shanklin or where there was roadway access at Sandown were larger with some long enough to have two rooms and with rear windows and access which could provide for overnight accommodation. On Sunday I walked the Shields sea front and we have some sixteen two room chalets which are hired out for weekly and short rental to provider a beachside holiday and are very popular even thought their view of the sea is obscured by large sand dunes with the exception of those immediately facing a pathway between the two mounds of sands.
Approaching Shanklin the walk was broken by a sit to watch the activities a large party of students possible sixth form but more likely college, some fifty who were with party organisers and instructors learning to either canoe or board surf. This was evidently an established teaching facility which included wind surfers, not be used at the time.
Shanklin and Ventnor are hilly resorts in which there are steep climbs up from the beach side. There is also some distance to walk from the town centre to the reach which I found last year and then an exceptionally steep roadway down to the beach side. There is then a wide promenade with gardens, putting greens and such like was well as cafes and restaurant as well as car parking. Shanklin with a population of over 8000 is bigger than Sandown with over 5000 and still has a Theatre. As with Sandown there used to be shows on the pier with that at Shanklin attracting international performers such as Paul Robson, Richard Tauber and the English Comedian Arthur Askey.
On my previous visit I enjoyed a cup of tea on the esplanade but on this visit the stop was postponed until Ventnor. I remember there was derelict on the first visits some sixty years before, but there were fireworks on a Saturday evening, but modest compared to the digital run displays of today, Shanklin also has a Chine. Chine is a local word on the Island and is a grove with a waterfall covering an area of three acres and with a quarter of a mile from the Old Village entrance and a drop of 100 feet to the esplanade where there is he second entrance or exit. Between July and September the Chine can be visited at night for floodlighting of which there some two hundred. I believe there was even some lighting and evening visits when I visited over sixty years ago but this may be a false memory. The old village has thatched roofs, gift shops and tea rooms but a better example is Brading.
As on my previous visit the lift was taken with taken to the top of the cliff but this time continued upon the cliff walk rather than go directly to the town centre A bus was the taken to Ventnor from which there are spectacular views back over Shanklin to Sandown bay. I have only been on one visit to Ventnor before and remembered nothing if the experience. Ventnor also has a larger population than Sandown, over 7000 and is famed for the Mediterranean nature of its climate with 30 inches of rain a year. Such was its popularity as a Summer holiday destination that there used to be non stop trains from Ryde to Ventnor. Now the train stops at Shanklin and there is a bus connect service on which I travelled.
Between 2005 and 2008 there was a jazz festival weekend to revive the economic fortunes of the resort but this year it was cancelled within one month which does not surprise as the list of performers were unknown to me and did not appear to fit into a jazz genre. There have been problems with performer being paid and a lack of public interest. A festibal is planned for 2010
Tea was taken on the upper level Winter Garden which is an inn and restaurant full of historical items including the old type of cash register with individual keys. When is the last time you saw one of these in operation use. I enjoyed a cup of tea and a Muffin. A small plats of Bourbon and Custard Cream Biscuits was provided gratis. The bar section was full of locals enjoying a chat along with the alcohol.
The bus was taken to Sandown where unintentionally I took the wrong road to Bembridge. This however proved to be a brilliant mistake. First I discovered the various developments along this coast road towards Ryde which includes the Fort Holiday Park, Dinosaur Island, and the I.O.W Zoo, and the Sandown Bay Holiday Centre. The great discovery was the Bembridge down, a high roadway to a National Trust area viewpoint with spectacular views in all directions. My intention has been to call in at the Bembridge Life Boat shop with a thank you card and a donation for participating in the rescue of my car keys. Unfortunately it was shut but I called to the home of the volunteer where we had a good chat, including about Brighton from which she came and cricket which her husband was an enthusiast.
The food treat of the visit occurred in the evening when I found a super Italian restaurant in the town centre, Olivio. This has only recently opened and beset with problems according to internet comments, mainly because of staffing problems and time it takes for a meal, two to three hours. There were no such problems on my visit when there were plenty of diners. I had an amazing tasty salad which includes olives, a soft feta cheese, smoked salmon and crispy bacon pieces with dough balls accompanied by a rose blush wine and followed by an unusual form of Strudel with a mint ice cream and then coffee. It is pricey with the bill coming to just under £40 for 2 but memorable food and a great way to end the island visit.
I managed to visit briefly last year on a day trip from Portsmouth, taking the bus from Ryde and after a brief walk through the town and along the sea front, I walked the pier where I had a half of beer before catching the bus to Shanklin and walking down to the front along to the lift and where I had had to wait for half to three quarters an hour for the bus.
I had planned a longer explore on Thursday of last week, June 18th, 2009, but it was just before midday before I arrived travelled in the car the length of the one way shopping street before turning back along the front and found a car parking space almost at the other end. I had time before the arranged meeting to visit the Tourist office where I bought two books of photos and a map book. I had noted an attractive looking hotel and bar with two veranda levels but decided that the food was expensive and as there was no food being eaten to judge its quality, feared a meal similar to that at the Fishbourne Inn. There was a chips with everything eggs, ham fish restaurant attached to another hotel which was reasonably price but nothing appealed.
Instead, returning to the shopping street there was the good fortune to find a traditional English lunch and tea room where staff were attentive and the owner host supervised an checked that everyone was content. I fancied a chicken pie with mash and vegetables served with gravy in a soup type plate followed by a cup of tea, served with two cup tea pots and a jug of hot water. Three plus cups were available for the price less than is paid for one on the motorways and many other establishments. Unfortunately I did not note the name.
It was then time for a walk for a good walk although I did not pay sufficient attention to appreciate what was being suggested. There are a choice of two walks, along the cliff or along the extended promenade and the lower flat route was selected. What I did not grasp is that this route continues through to Shanklin, a distance of approximately two miles. For the major part of this walk there are just a varying collection of Beach huts below the cliff with some opened to view revealing electricity for a cup and picnic cooking but also a fridge and a freezer in one instance. Those at Shanklin or where there was roadway access at Sandown were larger with some long enough to have two rooms and with rear windows and access which could provide for overnight accommodation. On Sunday I walked the Shields sea front and we have some sixteen two room chalets which are hired out for weekly and short rental to provider a beachside holiday and are very popular even thought their view of the sea is obscured by large sand dunes with the exception of those immediately facing a pathway between the two mounds of sands.
Approaching Shanklin the walk was broken by a sit to watch the activities a large party of students possible sixth form but more likely college, some fifty who were with party organisers and instructors learning to either canoe or board surf. This was evidently an established teaching facility which included wind surfers, not be used at the time.
Shanklin and Ventnor are hilly resorts in which there are steep climbs up from the beach side. There is also some distance to walk from the town centre to the reach which I found last year and then an exceptionally steep roadway down to the beach side. There is then a wide promenade with gardens, putting greens and such like was well as cafes and restaurant as well as car parking. Shanklin with a population of over 8000 is bigger than Sandown with over 5000 and still has a Theatre. As with Sandown there used to be shows on the pier with that at Shanklin attracting international performers such as Paul Robson, Richard Tauber and the English Comedian Arthur Askey.
On my previous visit I enjoyed a cup of tea on the esplanade but on this visit the stop was postponed until Ventnor. I remember there was derelict on the first visits some sixty years before, but there were fireworks on a Saturday evening, but modest compared to the digital run displays of today, Shanklin also has a Chine. Chine is a local word on the Island and is a grove with a waterfall covering an area of three acres and with a quarter of a mile from the Old Village entrance and a drop of 100 feet to the esplanade where there is he second entrance or exit. Between July and September the Chine can be visited at night for floodlighting of which there some two hundred. I believe there was even some lighting and evening visits when I visited over sixty years ago but this may be a false memory. The old village has thatched roofs, gift shops and tea rooms but a better example is Brading.
As on my previous visit the lift was taken with taken to the top of the cliff but this time continued upon the cliff walk rather than go directly to the town centre A bus was the taken to Ventnor from which there are spectacular views back over Shanklin to Sandown bay. I have only been on one visit to Ventnor before and remembered nothing if the experience. Ventnor also has a larger population than Sandown, over 7000 and is famed for the Mediterranean nature of its climate with 30 inches of rain a year. Such was its popularity as a Summer holiday destination that there used to be non stop trains from Ryde to Ventnor. Now the train stops at Shanklin and there is a bus connect service on which I travelled.
Between 2005 and 2008 there was a jazz festival weekend to revive the economic fortunes of the resort but this year it was cancelled within one month which does not surprise as the list of performers were unknown to me and did not appear to fit into a jazz genre. There have been problems with performer being paid and a lack of public interest. A festibal is planned for 2010
Tea was taken on the upper level Winter Garden which is an inn and restaurant full of historical items including the old type of cash register with individual keys. When is the last time you saw one of these in operation use. I enjoyed a cup of tea and a Muffin. A small plats of Bourbon and Custard Cream Biscuits was provided gratis. The bar section was full of locals enjoying a chat along with the alcohol.
The bus was taken to Sandown where unintentionally I took the wrong road to Bembridge. This however proved to be a brilliant mistake. First I discovered the various developments along this coast road towards Ryde which includes the Fort Holiday Park, Dinosaur Island, and the I.O.W Zoo, and the Sandown Bay Holiday Centre. The great discovery was the Bembridge down, a high roadway to a National Trust area viewpoint with spectacular views in all directions. My intention has been to call in at the Bembridge Life Boat shop with a thank you card and a donation for participating in the rescue of my car keys. Unfortunately it was shut but I called to the home of the volunteer where we had a good chat, including about Brighton from which she came and cricket which her husband was an enthusiast.
The food treat of the visit occurred in the evening when I found a super Italian restaurant in the town centre, Olivio. This has only recently opened and beset with problems according to internet comments, mainly because of staffing problems and time it takes for a meal, two to three hours. There were no such problems on my visit when there were plenty of diners. I had an amazing tasty salad which includes olives, a soft feta cheese, smoked salmon and crispy bacon pieces with dough balls accompanied by a rose blush wine and followed by an unusual form of Strudel with a mint ice cream and then coffee. It is pricey with the bill coming to just under £40 for 2 but memorable food and a great way to end the island visit.
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